Date-shkedder



J. H. NORTHRP.

DATE SHHEDDER APPLICATION FILED 00124. IIJIII.

Patented June 24, 1919.

YSHEE'S--SHEtT l.

James H Norfhro J. H. NORTHBOP. DATE SHREDDER. APPLICATION FILED 00T.24. 1918.

Patented. June 24, 1919.

SHEETS--SHEET 2.

bvdw:

Invent or.

James H.Nor`thvo}a J. H. NORTHROP.

DATE SHREDDER.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 24. 19H3.

Patented J une 24, 1919.

SHEETS-SHEET' 3.

,MHZ

n Inventar.

h James HNorHivo k f l m/fwi l. H. NORTHRUP.

DATE SHHEDDER.

APPLICATION man ocT. 24. ma

Patented June 24, 1919.

sHEETs-SHEET 4.

J. H. NORTHROP` DATE SHREDDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, 1918.

Patented J une 24, 1919.

TSHEETS--SHEET 5.

J. H. NORTHROP.

DATE SHREDDER.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 24, 11m;

Iafened June 24, 1919.

J. H. NORTHROP.

DATE SHREDDEH.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 24, ma,

1 ,$07,692.l kPatented June 24, 1919.

YSHEETS-SHEET 7- Witness:

Jame-s JAMES I-I. NORTHROP, 01E-INDIO, CALIFO'RNIA.`

DATE-SHREDDER.

ILEWYJBQQ.

- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 24, 1919.

Application filed October 24, 1918-. Serial No. 259,534. y A

T 0 all wizom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES I-I. NoRTHRor, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indio, in the county of Riverside and State of California,have invented a new and useful Date-Shredder, of which the following isa specification.

The general object of this invention is to provide means by which thepulp of dates may be transformed into4 a new food product which is knownas shredded dates in my co-pending application, Serial No. 259,533.

Incidental objects are to provide a date pulp shredding machine whlchwill accomplish the work rapidly, and will practically remove all thepulpfrom the seeds, and will deliver the pulp in superior condition foruse as a food and confection.

Date seeding has been carried on by hand and the product has been groundin a meat grinder, but such work of seeding has been slow, and suchgrindingproduces a mass that is not so attractive and palatable as Ihave been able to produce by other modes of treatment; and an object isto provide a machine by means of which the pulp of various grades ofdates can be rapidly transformed into an acceptable, attractive andexcellent food product and confection.

An object of this invention is to provide means whereby dates of variousqualities may be combined to form a superior food product of greatermarketable value than the dates from which such product is made.

An object of .this invention is to provide a machine by means of whichthe pulp may be conveniently and rapidly removed from the seeds ofdates, and shredded and put into the date and said pul can be put in asuperior marketable condition.

As is well knownfthe date 'is a drupe and y An object of this inventionis to provide a machine which will operate effectively upon the fruitirrespective of the vshape of the seed, to strip the pulp from the seedand deposit it in a shredded condition in a con tainer apartfrom theseeds.

In the production of dates there are various grades, and various kindsof dates.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine by means of whichthe less attract1ve dates can be put in a most acceptable marketablecondition by shredding the firmer constituents of the `date pulps andcombining them with the gummy constituents to form a conglomerate inwhich said firmer constituents form lumps of the date meat in foodcondition superior to the natural state.

Heretofore, dates have been pounded and have been ground, thus producinga pasty, homogeneous mass; and an object of this in vention is toprovide means for separating the seeds and pulp without producing such amass.

In carrying out this invention in its preferred form I employ rollers;and a diliculty to be overcome is the tendency of 111e dates to'loatffrom the rollersg' and the invention is broadly new, primary andpioneer in thatit comprises two shredding rollers adjacent each other,in combination with means for introducing dates into the furrow betweenthe upper faces of the rollers with sufficient force to causethe facesof the rollers to gather the pulp of the date and carry it between therollers, while the seed. is eX- pelled along the rollers.

ThisI invention, broadly considered, in-4 cludes shredding means forminga slot the width of which is less than the diameter of the seeds of thedates to'be treated, and is suiiciently wide to allow firmerconstituents of the date. meat to pass through in the form of shredsunground, and to cause lgummy constituents to be ressed onto said firmerconstituents, thus orming 'a conglomerate.

In carrying out the invention I form one side of the slot with ashredding roller, and preferably I form both sides of the slot withshredding rollers, and rotate said rollers over toward each other, andprovide means for delivering the dates to the slot and for causing thepulp to be caught between the rollers and to pass through the slot,after which the product is removed from the rollers and collected.

A considerable difficulty is encountered in so feeding the dates totheiroller's that the pulp will be separated from the seeds and pass onto form a conglomerate product, and features of this invention relate tomeans lwhereby the pulp can be introduced into the space between therollers.

This invention is broadly new, pioneer u and basic in thaty heretoforethere has'been no machineby which dates could be seeded and thisinvention is characterized by a slot having a ywidth less than theshortest diameter of the seeds of the dates to be treatedand having awidth sufficiently great A toallow the firmer as well as the softerportions of the date pulp or meat to pass constituents of the date.

through in shreds, o that they may be caught and coated buhe gummy orpasty specific features of the invention which may be lfound`permissible for this single application.

Other objects, advantages and features oi invention, not hereinbeforedetailed may ap* pear from the accompanying' drawings, the` subjoineddetail description and the appended claims.

- It is understood lthat the term'roller or rollers'as used herein isdefinitive of an elongate body revoluble upon its longer axis and havingan external face practically conformedatany transverse section, to acircle; so that when the roller is adjacent to a surface that is ,inparallelism with a longitudinal trace of. the general elongate externalface of the roller, said surface would not interrupt the revolution ofsaid face, though con brought into contact with said face while theroller were revolving. Said roller may be provided with a helical groovefor the -purpose of conveying the date or the date seed along theroller, as will be indicated in the accompanying drawings, withoutpractical interference with the shredding function of the roller and theadjacent cooperating surface.

An object of employing a roller of this construction is to allow theactive face of the roller` to pinch and pick o the exposedsurface of thefruit without making a mushy mass out of the pulp.. Itis `de sirablethat the seed of the date be moved along the face of the roller toward aplace of discharge and that the shreds of pulp shall be dischargeddirectly through between theroller and the coperating surface withoutbeing made into a mushy mass. It is also desirable that the active faceof the `roller be liept free from paste or gum accumulations at thatportion. which moves toward the coperating surface, and with theconstruction of roller herein'is'et forth, these objects are attained.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in some of thevarious forms in tical mid-section showing in operation the date foodproduct machine in a form which I at present deem most desirable.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental elevation from irregular line m2-2 Fig. 1, thesame being a fragmental cross-sectional elevation of the preferred form.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine intact.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the machine shown in the preceding views.

FFig. 5 is a sectional elevation on line m Fig. 6 is a fragmentalsectional elevation on line m6 Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the invention constructed in another form.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental plan viewed from line m8 Fig. 7, omitting thebelt.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in section, of the machine shown inFigs. 7, 10, and 12, as indicated at w8 Fig. l0.

F ig.l0 is a cross section on line m10 Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a fragmental perspective View of a portion of the rim of thefeeder wheel.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation from the hopper end of Fig. 7.

Fig. 13 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the rollers shown in Fig.7

Fig. 14 is a fragmental sectional view on line w14 Fig. 7 showing thestripped date seeds passing through the machine, and the shredded pulpstripped from said date seeds and being scraped from the rollers of themachine shown in FiO'. 7. p FF ig. 15 is a plan Vof-the machine shown inFig. 16 is a fragmental plan of a portion of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a fragmental sectional elevation showing a part of thestripper.

Fig. 18 is a fragmental plan in section showing the stripper.

In Figs. 1-6 there are two surfaces l, 2, which are arranged adjacent toeach other to form a downwardly narrowing receptacle V3 for dates, andare spaced apart a distance less than the shortest diameter of therespective seeds a of the dates b to be seeded and sufliciently wideapart to form a way 4 through which the pulp c of the dates may pass.

The shredding surfaces l, 2. are arranged so as not to be in contactwith each other when-the machine, in operation, is passing the pulpthrough said space.

' Preferably the surfaces are normally spaced apart and remain so duringthe entire voperation of the machine. The shredding surfaces may bespaced apart to form a way so narrow as to barely pass the pulp. Thelooseness of the bearings of two rollers journaled to furnish saidsurfaces may be found suiicient foruthe purpose and I have used rollerssuch as shredding rollers 5, 6,

'spaced apart a distance of 11e of Aan inch,

1n one instance, and in another instance av 4distance caused by placinga sheet of paper of the thickness of ordinary writing paper in betweenthe rollers and then babbitting the journals in place; but I do notlimit the construction to the specific widths mentioned, as greater orless width of way may be found to serve the purpose aimed at. I havefound in my experience up to the pres ent date that the ope ation withthe rollers spaced apart by babb tting the journals of the rollers whilethe roller' surfaces are pressed toward each other and` against a sheetof writing paper placed between them,

gives the best results.

I do not limit the construction to a form" in which rollers are employedto produce the shredding surfaces between which the receptacle 3, andway 4, are formed; but I regard the use of one or more shredding rollersas particularly desirable. In carrying out the invention I contemplateusing vany known equivalent for such rollers.

Said surfaces are adaptedto coperate to shred the date pulp and carry itdown whilel the date seed is intercepted by reason of the narrowness ofthe space through which the pulp is allowedto pass.

The two surfaces may be arranged so that the line of nearest approach ofone to the other may be at any desired angle to a vertical; 'and in theaccompanying drawings said surfaces are arranged so that the lines ofnearest approach of such surfaces to each other is approximatelyhorizontal. This occurs' when two horizontal rollers are arran edparallel to each other.

arious means may be employed for introducing or feeding the dates to thereceptacle formed between said surfaces at the upper divergence thereof;and` in this respect in said Figs. 1-6 the hopper 7 is-arranged with oneend 8 open to a case composed of side walls 9, 10, and a' guard 11forming a housing for a revolving wheel 12 which is provided withannular lines of teeth formed in plates 13, 14, 15, 16, by notches 17cut into said plates clear across the surface of the wheel, so that foreac notch there is a set of teeth. Said plates are spaced apart from thewalls 9,' 10, with sufficient clearance, and they 'are spaced from eachother by spacers 18, 19, 20. The thickness of said spacers 1s preferablyless than the shortest diameter of the seeds of the dates to be operatedupon, so that said seeds will not be likely to become wedged in betweenthe plates. Said spacers are preferably circular in form and in the formshown in Figs. 1-6 they are of the same diameter, and the notches 17 arenot cut into the surface of the spacers, but the peripheries of thespacers extend circularly near to the bottom of the notches 17.

In said Figs. 1-6 the space between the peripheriesof the spacers andthe bottoms of the notches is just suiiicient to accommodate one or morelines as 21, 22.

Said lines are rovearound the spacers and are extended along thefloor 23of the hopper 7, being supported at the ends of said hopper Floor 23 bythe pulleys 24, 25, and led down from the pulley 25 to a depressingpulley 26 under which, it is led. and thence upward to the receivingside of the spacers around which said line is led to the underside ofsaid spacers and thence downward aslant from the wheel to a seconddepressing pulley 27 from whence the line is led to the' supportingpulley 2li.

The slanting limbs 28 of the lines between the under side of the wheeland the under side of the second depressing pulley 27 constitute astripper extending between the two plates outside the peripheries of thespacers and within the notches so that when a dateJ has been caught in anotch and has been carried around within the guard 11 toabove'thesurface of the rollers, said date will fall or will be carriedinto the furrow or receptacle 3 formed by said diverging surfaces andwill become subject to the action of the moving-surface of one or bothrollers as the case may be. In the form shownboth rollers are arrangedto revolve from top downward toward each other.

The rollers shownherein are cylinders of equal diameters and are smoothexternally f:along their length, except that one of the rollers isprovided with a spiral groove 29 and the other roller is provided withaspiral groove 30. Said grooves are shown as of the same pitch and asbeing of equal widths and arranged with their turns adjacent' to eachother at the adjacent sides of the rollers, so

that in this particular machine,l the companion limbs of said groovesconjointly form a widened space between the rollers, thus to, at one andthe same time, increase the friction upon the date, and forma receptacleto receive the end of the date, and at the end of the shredding process,receive the ends of the seeds. The grooved limbs are spaced apart alongthe smooth surface of the rollers adistance greater than the width ofthe groove, and the intermediatespaces between the groove limbs or turnsof each roller are of greater width than the groove, thus to accommodateto a considerable extent, the date meats at the sides of the seeds,

- while as the work proceeds, the conjoined groove limbs or turnseventuallv engage the seeds only; the pulp having been torn or shreddedfrom the seeds by the outer smooth 6 convex face of the rollers and alsoby friction with the wallsof the grooves.

rI`he rollers are driven at a desired speed, for example, three or fourhundred revolutions per minute, with the result that the pulp is splitfrom the seed and is carried through the space 4 between the rollersonto the'scrapers 31, 32, above the box 33 which is set below therollers to receive the product which is scraped from the rollers by saidScrapers. l

The wheel l2 is geared to run at a lower number of revolutions perminute than the rollers and may be run at a speed of say from about 5 to10 revolutions per minute, and as the teeth pass through the recep*tacle they carry the seeds along. The ad` vance of the seeds is alsofacilitated by the grooves of the rollers, when said rollers areprovided with such groo-ves, as shown. As the seeds advance they comebeneath the strippers 28 and also extend up between the limbs of saidstripper and may come between the ,stripperl limbs land the surface ofthe rollers, with the result that as the stripper 30 limbs move downwardaslant from the wheel by which theyare driven, the seeds are carriedalong in contact, more or less, with the rollers, and are iinallyejected through the chute 34 into the seed box 35.

In practice the tendency of the seeds is to rise on end and to becarried along both by action of the grooves upon the lower ends of theseeds, and also by action of the traveling stripper limbs 28, which notonly tend to move the seeds along toward the discharge end of therollers, but also tend to force the seed ends down into the groovesalong which they travel, with the consequence that the lower ends oftheseeds tend to scour. the grooves and keep them from gumming up.

The forward faces of the teeth are arranged slightly advancing so as toinsure a propulsive action upon the dates and seeds; but Vthe forwardinclination is not so great as/to allow the seeds to-be caught and held-between the stripper and such faces; the necessary action being thatthe'teeth shall pass the stripper, leaving the seeds behind.

The linesV forming the stripper are preferably two in number spacedequi-distant from a Vertical line passing through the way y4; andsaidlines are close to the respective rollers so thatffn-practice theseeds have a f tendency td'assumean upright position, and totravelalong-@the meeting line of the recepiacle 3555@ 11g carried on by .thegrooves except in caseof congestion when the mass is noved bypressure'of the lines against the .side/S of thefsee'ds. The lines maybe of any suitable `character andI I have used' window cords for suchelement; but in the more practical application I find that the bestresults are obtained by using lines made of helical springs of aboutone-quarter inch diameter.

The Scrapers are yieldingly held against the peripheries of the rollersby means of helicalr or coil springs 35, 3G.

Power may be applied to the machine by any suitable means, and with thisobject in view, the power receiving pulley 27 is shown on ashaft 38 ofone of the rollers and the power is transmitted with one to one gearing39, 40, to the shaft 41 of the other roller. Said shaft is provided witha worm 42 meshing with a worm gear 43 which drives a sprocket chain 45,.that is geared to a sprocket wheel 46 of increased diameter that isfixed to and' transmits power to the shaft 47 of the toothed wheel.

A. date support 48 is formed at the receiving side of the depressed loopby means of a plate sloping down from the end of the hopper floor towardthe receiving face of the toothed wheel'so that the dates carried towardthe wheel by the traveling stripper ,lines will be received in a pocketfrom which they are caught up by means of the teeth.

The upper horizontal limbs 49 of the stripper lines constitute dateagitators and feeders that insure delivering the dates to the pocketfrom which they may be carried by the teeth.

Said teeth take up the dates one or more at a time,but theirconstruction shown is adapted to prevent jamming the dates into lumpymasses, and the dates are practically acted upon selectively orseparately.

The rollers are geared to relatively high speed as compared with thetoothed wheel, so that when in operation the power mechanism arranged asabove set forth causes the surfaces to coperate to separate the datepulps from the date seeds, and I do not intend to limit the invention toany specific means to cause such coperation, norv do I limit. it tothespecific form of rollers or strippers or other specific features of themachine.

In Figs. 7-l8 .a form of machine is shown 116 that is somewhat dierentfrom that shown in the preceding views.

The floor 49 ot the hopper slopes toward an outlet 50. Aslotted plate 51receives the dates on said floor and delivers them tothe toothed wheel52 by which they are cau ht seed discharging end of the rollers and saidn fingers extend rearwardly and upwardly toward the toothed Wheel, andtoward the receiving end of the receptacle so that in practicaloperation the date seeds as they progress forward are depressed by thestrip pers and are held firmly against the rollers; and in case suchrollers are grooved as shown, the seeds are made to scour out thegrooves as before described.

ln this form an agitator for the dates consists of an arm' 60 fixed on arock shaft 6l that has an arm 62 connected by con.- necting rod 63 to acrank 64 on the shaft 65 of the toothed wheel. Said arm when operated bythe revolution of the said toothed wheel agitates the dates in thehopper and directs them toward the discharge outlet.

lin the forms Where cylindrical rollers are employed, it. is deemedadvisable that the axes of said rollers shall be parallel to each other.

1. A date shredding machine comprising i two shredding surfaces s acedapart a distance less than the shortest diameter of the respective seedsof dates to be shredded, and sufficiently wide apart to form a way'through which the pulpof thedates may pass in shreds, and means toremove the date pulp from the date seeds and to pass said pulp in shredsthrough .said space.

2. A date shredding machine comprising two shredding surfaces spacedapart a dis tance less than the diameter of the respeo tive seedsofdates to be shredded, and suliiciently wide apart to allow the pulp ofthe4 dates to pass through in shreds, one of said surfacesbeingrevoluble, and means to revolve the revoluble surface to remove the datepulp from the date seeds and to pass said pulp in shreds through saidspace.

3. A date shredding machine comprising two shredding rollers spacedapart a distance less than the diameter ofthe respective seeds of datesto be shredded, and sufliciently wide apart-to allow the pulp of thedates to pass through, in'shreds, and means to rotate one of the rollersto remove the date pulp from the date seeds .and to pass said pulp inshreds through said space. l

4. A date shredding machine comprising two shredding rollers spacedapart a distance less than the diameter o f the respective seeds ofdates to be shredded, and sulliciently wide apart t0 allow. the pulp ofthe datesl to pass through, and means to revolve the rollers to removethe date Apulp from' the dateseeds and to pass said pulp through saidspace.

5. A date shredding machine comprising two shredding rollers spacedapart a distance less than the diameter of the respective seeds of datesto be shredded, and sufficieritly wide apart to allow the pulp .of thedates to pass through, means' to' revolve the rollers to remove the datepulp from the date seeds and to pass said pulp through said space, andmeans to feed dates into the space above the rollers.

6. A date shredding machine comprising two downwardly convergingshredding surfaces spaced apart at their nearest approach a distanceless than the shortest diameter of the respective seeds of4 dates to beshredded, and sufficiently Wide apart to allowthe pulp of the dates topass through, means to feed dates to the receptacle `formed above theline of nearest approach of said surfaces; and means to remove the datepulp from the date seeds and to passsaid pulp through said space. y

7. A date shredding machine comprising two shredding surfaces spacedapart a dis tance less than the diameter of the respective seeds ofdates Ato be shredded, and suffi-- ciently wide apart to allow the pulpof the dates to pass through, one of said surfaces being revoluble;means to'feed dates to said surfaces; and means to revolve the revolublesurface to remove the date pulp from the date seeds and to pass saidpulp through said space. l

8; A date shredding machine comprising two shredding surfaces spacedapart a distance less than the diameter of the re'spective seeds ofdates to be shredded, and suiiicientl-y wide apart to allow the pulp ofthe dates to pass through, one of said surfaces being movable; means tofeed dates to said surfaces; and means to move the movable surface toremove the datepulp from the dateseeds and to pass said pulp throughsaid space. f

9. A date shredding machine comprising two shredding rollers spacedapart a distance less than the diameter of the respective seeds of datesto be shredded, and sufficiently wide apa-rtto allow the pulp of thedates to pass through, means to revolve the rollers to remove the datepulp from the date' seeds and to pass said pulp through said space,means to feed dates into the space yaloovethe rollers; and a stripperarranged to direct the seeds along the rollers.

10. A date shredding machine comprising a shredding roller and a surfacearranged to form therewith a receptacle for dates; means to feed datesto said receptacle; means to revolve `the roller to strip the date pulpfrom the date seeds and to pass such pulp between the roller and saidsurface; and a 'scraper to remove from the roller the date bin'ation.ofi-a shredding surface and a shredding roller arranged to form areceptacle for dates; means to revolve the roller to strip the date pulpfrom the date seeds 'and to pass said pulp between said roller -ing dateseeds lengthwise of the rollers;

. face and means to cause such said rollers also being spaced apart toform a way through which the pulp' from the date seeds may pass, andmeans to revolve the rollers. l

14. A date shredding machine comprising ltwo shredding rollers; saidrollers being eX- ternally grooved for the purpose of conveying dateseeds lengthwise of the rollers; said rollers also being spaced apart toform la way through which the pulp from the date seeds may passyandmeans to revolve the rollers at the same relative speed.

15. A date shredding machine'comprising two shredding rollers arrangedadjacent to each other to form a receptacle to receive dates; means torevolve the rollers for the purpose of stripping the date pulps from thedate-seeds, and Scrapers to remove the pulp from the rollers. v

16. A date-shredding machine comprising two surfaces adapted to formareceptacle for dates and also adapted to coperate to separate the datepulp from the date seeds; one of said surfaces being a shredding sur-Icooperation betweeiiv such surfaces. f

17. A date shredding machine comprisingv two shredding surfaces adaptedto form a receptacle for dates and also adapted tocoperate to separatethe datel `pulps from the date seeds; means to cause such coperationbetween such surfaces.; and means to feed dates tol said receptacle.

18. A date food product machine comprising two surfaces to form areceptacle lfor dates and also adapted to 'coperate-to separate the datepulps fromthe date seeds; a wheel provided with notches `adapted to feeddates tosaid receptacle', andia` stripper to direct dates from thenotches of: said arranged to extend between the teeth of said sets tolshuntthe dates from -said notches into said receptacle as Vthe wheelrevolves. y20, A date food productmachine. coinrising a hopper toreceive the dates' said hopper being open at one end; a wheel. havfwhneccm'- prising means adapted'to form affreceptac'le" I, to receive dates.and also adapted to separ ate thedate pulps from thev date ".Seeds; ajwheel comprising sets of teeth and provided f with notches to receivesaid dates; means-sk *downwardly awa tending through t e hopper to formthe con' veyer.-

" toothed wheel; lines led over the floor of the hopper to the.receiving face of the wheel between the lines of the teeth; means forseparating date seeds from the date pulp, the same formin a receptacleinto which the dates are delivered by said teeth; said lines slantingdownwardly from the lower limb of said wheel to form a stripper forstripping the dates and the date seeds from the teeth of the wheel.

21. A date food product machine compris- Ving a hopper having a loor andan open end; a housing open to the open end of the hopper and comprisingwalls and a guard; a wheel arranged in said housing and piovided withteeth to carry dates through the housing; means to revolve the wheel;means to move dates along the oor of the hopper to the `teeth of thewheel; means arranged below the wheel to receive the dates therefrom andadapted toremove the date pulp from the date seeds.

22. A date food product machine com rising a hopper to receive thedates; said liopper being open at one end; a wheel having sets ofperipheral alined teeth spaced apart; circular 'spacers between adjacentlines of said teeth; means to revolve said ltoothed wheel; lines ledover the floor of the hopper to the receiving Iface of the` wheelbetween the lines of'the teeth; means to depress the line to form apocket at such receiving face; meansfor separating date seeds from thedate pulp, the same forming a receptacle .into which the dates aredelivered by Said teeth; -said lines also slanting downwardly from thelower limb of said wheel to forni housing; means to revolve/the wheel;means to move dates along the floor of thehopper -to the teeth of thewheel; means arranged below the wheel to nreceive the dates therefromand adapted to *remove the date pul from4 the date seeds; and a stripperlformed of lines spaced apart 'and running aslant from. the wheel andex- '24. A datek shredding machine comprising :two shredding surfacesspaced apart a distance less `thanithe shortest diameter of the resect1ve seeds of. the dates to be shredded, an sufficiently wide apart toform away 'through which the pulp of the dates may pass; a'wheel havingperipheral notches and lll arranged adjacent to said way and adaptedv tocarry the dates toward suchway; means to remove the dates from thenotches and to introduce themto said way; vand means to remove thedatevpulp from the seed and to pass the pulp through said way.

25. lln a date food product machine, a toothed wheel provided with setsof alined teeth and circular surfaces between the lines of such teeth;rollers arran ed to form a receptacle into which dates m be fed fromsuch-wheel; linesrove around aid circular sufaces and along saidreceptac e and slanting downwardly from the lower limb of the wheel; andmeans to simultaneously revolve the wheel and the rollers.

\ 26. ln a date food product machine, a toothed wheel provided withJsets of alined teeth and circular surfaces between the lines of suchteeth; rollers arranged to form a receptacle into which dates may be fedfrom such wheel; lines rove around said circular surfaces and along saidreceptacle and slantlng downwardly from the lower limb of the wheel; andmeans to' simultaneously revolve the wheel and therollers at differentspeeds. 27. In a date food product machine, a

' toothed wheel provided with setsl of alined teeth and circularsurfaces between the lines of said teeth; rollers arranged to form a receptacle into which "dates may be fed from such wheel; lines rove aroundsaid. circular surfaces and along said receptacle and slant- 'ingdownwardly from the lower limb of the wheel; and means to simultaneouslyrevolve the wheel at one speed and the rollers at a higher speed.

. 2.8. Inf a date food product machine, la

toothed wheel provided withl sets of..alined teeth and circularsurfaces'between the lines of. said teeth; rollersarranged to form areceptacle into which dates may be fed from such wheel; lines rovearound said circular surfaces and along said receptacle and slantingdownwardly from the lower limbof said wheel; and means to simultaneouslrevolve the wheel atone speed andthe rollers at a dierent speed'. y

29. A date food product machine comprising a surface .and a rollerarranged adjacent tov each other. to forma receptacle for dates, andspaced apart to form a way through which the date pulp may passbut not.wide enough to allow the date vseeds topass; xa

wheel provided with sets of teethand being notched to accommodate thedates and arranged to feed dates to said receptacle;.the

j intermediate teeth of said sets being longer than the side teeth ofsaidsets so that the intermediate teeth extend farther into thereceptacle than the side teeth; and means to strip the dates'and thedate seeds' from said notches as the same pass through the receptacle. y

30. The combination with two shredding rollers arrangedto form areceptacle for dates and a way through which date pulp but not dateseeds may pass; of a toothed wheel revolving on an axis that istransverse to the axis of the roller revolution to deliver dates4 to thereceptacle; means to revolve the rollers; and speed reducing meansbetween the :rollers and the wheel to revolve the wheel at a lower speedthan the rollers.

3l. A date shredding machine comprising two shredding rollers arrangedadjacent to each other to form a receptacle for dates,

and spaced apart to form a way throu h which the pulp from said datesmay is passed; said way being too narrow to allow the passage of thedate seeds 'between the rollers; means to rotate the vrollers and meansto supply dates to said receptacle.

32. A date shredding machine comprising a shredding roller and avsurface adjacent thereto; said roller and surface formin a receptacletoreceive dates; said roller being spaced apart from said surfacesuiiiciently to form a way through which the date pulp may pass andthrough which the date seed may not pass; means to supply dates to saidreceptacle and means to rotate the roller. 1 33. A date shreddingmachine comprising two shredding surfaces adapted to allow the pulp ofdates to pass therebetween, one of said surfaces being in the form of 4aroller having a'helical. groove which is adapted to receive and advancethe ends of the seeds of dates during the operation of `shredding thepulp of dates from seeds by the action of such roller; and means forrevolving the roller. i y

34..In a date food lproduct machine, in combination with a shreddingsurface, a shredding roller adjacent thereto and cooperating. therewith;'said roller having in its surface a helical oovev which is adapted toreceive the endogra date seed and to ad- Vance the date seed along saidsurface as the roller is revolved; the adjacent limbs of said groovebeing spaced apart a distance greater than vthe width of the groove sothat the portion of the roller .surface between the --turns of the roovemay coperate with the JAMES H. NORTHROP.

' Witness:

JAMES R. TowNsEND.

